Salem's Lot, a Tragedy

[Frank Florentino]

I recently re-read (or re browsed through) Salem's Lot and I had the same reaction I always do, sadness not fear. The book contains some of the most beautiful contemporary prose and turns of phrase, as well as some self-indulgent pretentious blather. It's hard not to sympathize with the people of the Lot, most of whom are good people, whose lives and souls are destroyed by Barlow and Straker, and are left to suffer eternal darkness by the author, who selectively applies orthodox vampire lore, but omits one key component, which is that -- since the days of Bram Stoker -- once the master vampire is successfully staked, his victims return to their human state.

King, for some reason, rejects that, although it would have made a far better ending, since almost everyone in the Lot would have vague trace memories of doing really bad things, which would be in itself a potential font for seriocomic inspiration.

[nate_watkins]

I didn't know that about the Bram Stoker vampires. But there seems to be different types of Vampires nowadays. Stephen King's (both in 'Salems Lot, and Everything's Eventual), and Stephanie Meyer (which I haven't read). Authors take their own liberties when writing certain things.

[danielluiz]

the book is really more sad than scary.
after reading it I was thinking a long time on the characters and the drama they lived.

[Dani~]

Unless I'm mistaken, King wanted to make a present day vampire story, an American vampire story. Re-invent it if you will. He took liberties with it to be sure. And yes it is sad, because it is the end of humanity if the victims don't revert back...there is no hope here...

[Doc Wilson]

Actually any liberties King took with the myth were minor by modern standards. If you're a vampire purist, you definitely want to avoid Cronin's The Passage, but you'll miss the best thing to come out this year.

[PatInTheHat]

You mean all I need is basically a copier, and I too can become a successful world famous author?...how kewl is that, I'm all over it!
(I think my first work shall be The Adventures of Shuckleberry Slim...yeah I know, it should sell like snotcakes)

[Billiards Girl]

Although the old legends and lore are traditional and ingrained, isn't fiction essentially making stuff up? So really, the vampire is in the mind of the beholder. You can make them slathering demons or glittery brooding hipsters, or mimes even. It's all fun, all readable, all fiction.

[Drawn to Ka-tet]

Unless I'm mistaken, King wanted to make a present day vampire story, an American vampire story. Re-invent it if you will. He took liberties with it to be sure. And yes it is sad, because it is the end of humanity if the victims don't revert back...there is no hope here...

I agree with the sadness and the unique American qualities in the story.

Have you read the American Vampire comics/graphics? I love the character Skinner Sweet- he's a new breed of vampire. Many thanks to Sai King for this new creation!
Long days and pleasant nights.

[RobertWriter]

I recently re-read (or re browsed through) Salem's Lot and I had the same reaction I always do, sadness not fear. The book contains some of the most beautiful contemporary prose and turns of phrase, as well as some self-indulgent pretentious blather. It's hard not to sympathize with the people of the Lot, most of whom are good people, whose lives and souls are destroyed by Barlow and Straker, and are left to suffer eternal darkness by the author, who selectively applies orthodox vampire lore, but omits one key component, which is that -- since the days of Bram Stoker -- once the master vampire is successfully staked, his victims return to their human state.

King, for some reason, rejects that, although it would have made a far better ending, since almost everyone in the Lot would have vague trace memories of doing really bad things, which would be in itself a potential font for seriocomic inspiration.

I believe it is his selective choice in "orthaodox vampire lore" that makes the story so great. In new vampire stories the authors work hard to make them original. Vampires with a completely different perspective (Twilight). But, the great thing about 'Salems Lot is that it's traditional but original. SK made his own version of a traditional vampire reality By being selective. I have always disagreed when in a story the lead villain is killed and it returns people to normal. It doesn't remove the vampire blood from their veins, or the zombie virus. I believe that is just a scapegoat authors use to make a happy ending. It's not honest. I would rather a story be led into a tragic ending than a happy ending be forced into it.

[kingricefan]

The Lot was the very first book of SK's that I read, way back when it came out in paperback. It had an all black cover with the face of a woman embossed on it with one drop of red (blood) dripping from the corner of her mouth. There was no author's name or even a title printed on the front cover- just all this blackness and the face with the drop of blood. On the back cover it has the title at the top followed by this: The town knew darkness...but no one dared talk about the high, sweet, evil laughter of a child...and the sucking sounds...A spine-tingling novel by Stephen King author of the million-copy bestseller Carrie. Very ambiguous, I'd say. Even the cover of the hardback edition didn't mention anything about vampires and the illustration shows a picture of a small town. Yes, King took liberties with the vampire lore. Perhaps King (or his editor) were thinking ahead and maybe wanted a sequel? Or maybe King realized that the book was a sad tale and didn't want to ruin it by giving the reader a 'happy' ending. It would've been a 'cheat'. I think it reflects the mindset of the American people at the time it was written. Things weren't particularly rosey for us then. This novel totally reflects what it was like to live in a small town in the New England area of the US in that particular timeframe. I grew up in rural PA and I KNEW those people, we had 'em in my town too. What IS brilliant about this novel is you don't even find out till 2/3's of the way thru that it is a vampire that is wreaking havoc on this small town and its inhabitants. Except nowadays the new covers give it all away: they all seem to have a vampire on the cover. That's a shame.